Apparatus for feeding and cutting web material

ABSTRACT

In apparatus wherein a reel of web material is unwound, fed in a substantially linear path by a web feeding means and cut into equal sized sheets by a web cutting means, the improvement comprising means for advancing the web material from the web feeding means to the web cutting means, means for forming a loop in the web material between the web feeding means and said web advancing means, the size of said loop being responsive to the rates of web feed by the web feeding means and the web advancing means, means for de-activating the web advancing means in response to the determination of a predetermined condition downstream thereof, said de-activation of the web advancing means enlarging the loop, means for sensing when the loop reaches a predetermined size, and means responsive to the sensing of a loop of predetermined size for controlling the rate of the web feeding means.

IQ El Gianese sent H91 1 Sept. 11, I973 [75] Inventor: Golfredo Gianese,Bologna, Italy [73] Assignee: AMF Incorporated, White Plains,

[22] Filed: Jan. 27, 1972 [21] Appl. No.2 221,312

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,567,920 12/1925 Cumfer83/3563 3,252,640 5/ 1966 Huck 226/175 Primary Examiner-Frank T. YostAttorney-George W. Price et al.

[57 ABSTRACT In apparatus wherein a reel of web material is unwound, fedin a substantially linear path by a web feeding means and cut into equalsized sheets by a web cutting means, the improvement comprising meansfor advancing the web material from the web feeding means to the webcutting means, means for forming a loop in the web material between theweb feeding means and said web advancing means, the size of said loopbeing responsive to the rates of web feed by the web feeding means andthe web advancing means, means for deactivating the web advancing meansin response to the determination of a predetermined condition downstreamthereof, said de-activation of the web advancing means enlarging theloop, means for sensing when the loop reaches a predetermined size, andmeans responsive to the sensing of a loop of predetermined size forcontrolling the rate of the web feeding means.

12 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure APPARATUS FOR FEEDING ANI) CUTTING WEBMATERIAL BACKGROUND With reference to the drawings, two spindles, desig-This invention relates to wrapping or packin manated l and 1Arespectively, are mounted in parallel chines and more particularly to afoil feeding apparatus for use in a cigarette packaging machine.

In cigarette packaging machines which produce packs made of an outerpaper wrapper and an inner foil wrapper, the foil wrappers are generallyformed of sheets cut in sequence from a continuous roll of web material,or, more specifically, paper foil tape.

Cigarette packing machines are generally provided with suitabledetectors and mechanisms to reject defective packs, or packs containinga number of cigarettes not corresponding to the predetermined number, orpacks in which one or more cigarettes have loose ends. Obviously, therejection of a pack for these reasons involves the loss of a foil sheetand of a paper sheet.

In high speed cigarette packing machines with an output of 500 to 600packs per minute, for example, that disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.3,553,925, 3,531,911, 3,589,097, 3,583,130, 3,579,953 and 3,590,550, allassigned to the same assignee as this application, the rejection ofdefective packs, even at a very small rate, leads to a great waste offoil and paper.

SUMMARY It is, accordingly, an object of this invention to provide animproved web material feeding and severing combination.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved webmaterial feeding and severing combina tion 'for use in a cigarettepacking machine.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide in a devicefor feeding and cutting web material into sheets, means to preclude thefeeding of a web sheet, for instance, the foil used in making cigarettepacks, every time the group of cigarettes which must be wrapped withthis sheet is, for any reason, irregular.

In accordance with the objects, a preferred embodiment of the inventionmay comprise a unit in combination with a reel of web material, meansfor withdrawing web material from the reel and feeding it in a generallylinear path and means for severing the web into sheets, which unitcomprises means for advancing the web material to the web severingmeans, means for forming a loop in the web material between the reel andthe web advancing means, detecting means mounted in the web formingmeans for sensing when the loop reaches a predetermined size, means forde-activating the web advancing means in response to a predeterminedcondition, the continued operation of the web material withdrawing meanscausing an enlargement of the loop in the loop forming means, and meansresponsive to activation of said detecting means for controlling the webmaterial feeding means.

Other objects, advantages and the like will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description given as a non restrictive example, withreference to the attached drawings in which:

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective assembly view of apreferred embodiment of the invention.

spaced relationship to each other and are adapted to receive reels ofweb material, such as foil to be used in the fabrication of a cigarettepack. The reel mounted on spindle l is designated BI and that mounted onspindle IA is designated BIA. Two reels are provided so that when one ofthe reels is supplying web material, the other reel can be readied foruse.

Spindles l and 1A are free to rotate round their axes so that webmaterial may be withdrawn from the respective reels B1 and BIA by atangential pulling of the web material. A pair of feed rollersassociated with each of the reels B1 and BIA supply thetangentialpulling to unwind the web material from the reels. The feedrollers associated with reel B1 are designated 2 and 40 and thoseassociated with reel BlA are designated 3 and 41. Rollers 2 and 3 aredriven and rollers 40 and 41 are pressure idler rollers.

The web material is fed from the feed rollers along a web guide,designated 4 in the instance of web material withdrawn from reel B1 and5 in the instance of web material withdrawn from reel BIA.

The initial sections of the guides, designated 104 and respectively, areconnected to the remainder by a hinged connection so that it can beswung away from the remainder of the guide to facilitate theintroduction of the web material between the respective set of feedrollers 2, 40 and 3, 41 when a new reel of web material is fitted tospindle l or 1A. An aperture 50 is provided in each of the guidesections 104 and 105 above the pressure rollers 40 and 41 to provide theaccess for the pressure rollers to be engaged by their correspondingfeed rollers 40 and 41.

Each of the feed rollers 2 and 3 is driven through a variable speeddrive consisting of a disk 6 driven from a power source 611, a disk 7mounted parallel thereto and a wheel 8 disposed between andperpendicular to disks 6 and 7, in contact therewith and mounted forfree rotation on the piston rod 9 of a pneumatic doubleacting cylinder10. Actuation of the cylinder 10 causes displacement of the wheel 8along the diameter of disks 6 and 7 from the centers to the peripheriesthereof, controlling the amount of the angular velocity of disk 6transmitted to disk 7, and in turn to the feed rollers.

.A chamber 11 is mounted over guide 4 and is connected, as by a conduit11a, with means for providing subatmospheric pressure, or suction,therein in order to draw back therein a section of the web, which willassume the loop shape shown in the drawings.

In the same manner, a vacuum chamber 12, connected by a conduit 12a to asource of suction, is mounted under guide 5, disposed in substantiallyvertical alignment with chamber 11. This vacuum chamber receives thetape unwound from reel BIA, in a manner analogous to that in which tapeunwound from reel B1 is received in chamber 11.

A photosensitive element 13 is mounted in each of the suction chambers11 and I2 and is associated with a suitable source of light 14.

A double acting air cylinder 15 having a piston rod 16 mounted thereinis mounted above the portion of guide 4 downstream from chamber 1 I,which is designated 204. A one-way block 17 is hingedly mounted to theend of piston rod 16. A rubber pad 18 is mounted on the block 17 and isheld in contact with web material on guide portion 204 by means of aspring 19. The hinged connection between the piston rod 16 and the block17 allows the rubber pad to engage and feed the web material on theoutward stroke of the piston rod and to slide back over the web materialon the rearward stroke of the piston rod.

1n the same manner, a double acting pneumatic cylinder 20 is mountedunder the portion of guide 5, designated 205, downstream of vacuumchamber 12 and includes a one-way" block 22 mounted to its piston rod byhinged connection. A rubber pad 23 analogous to rubber pad 18 is mountedon block 22 and operates in a manner similar thereto on webs being fedalong guide 5.

A web advancing drum 24 and a cooperating pressure roller 25 are mountedat a position spaced from the ends of the guides 4 and 5 and are adaptedto receive a web therebetween. The periphery of drum 24 is subdividedinto a plurality of equal segments, three in the embodiment shown in thedrawings, said three segments being designated 124, 224 and 324,respectively. Each of the segments of the drum is of a length selectedto be equal to the length of a sheet of web material to be utilized inthe formation of a pack of cigarettes.

Each of the segments is mounted for radial movement towards and awayfrom the shaft of the drum. This radial movement may be effected bymounting the segments at the end of the piston rods of pneumaticcylinders. In operation, the inward movement of a drum segmentinterrupts its coordination with the opposed pressure roller 25 andprecludes the feeding of the portion of the web disposed therebetweenfor the period of time it takes for that segment to rotate past roller25.

A pair of guide members 26 and 28 are mounted at one side of drum 24 andguide the web thereto from guide portions 204 and 205, depending onwhich reel is in use. I

A web cutting mechanism 31 is mounted downstream from the advancing drum24. A pair of guide members, 27 and 29 guide the web from the advancingdrum to the cutter.

The cutter consists substantially of a plurality of fork elements 32,for instance, four, each of which carries at its end a cutting knife orblade 33 which cuts in cooperation with fixed counterknife oreounterblade 30 mounted at the end of guide 27.

Each fork element 32 is hinged at one side to a respective lug or agroup of four lugs 135 mounted on a disk 35 and at the other side of oneof the four arms 136 of a cross 36, the disk and the cross being offsetfrom each other.

A fixed fork member 38 is mounted so as to constitute a continuation ofthe web path defined by guides 26 and 28 and 27 and 29. The tines 138 offork member 38 are disposed in alignment with the spaces in between thetines 132 of the fork elements 32.

With this arrangement, when disk 35 is rotated by a suitable drive (notshown), the fork elements 32 rotate, remaining always horizontal andparallel to themselves. While the forks 32 rotate, the tines 132 thereofpass through the empty spaces between the tines 138 of fixed fork 38 andengage the length of web material advanced to the fixed fork by drum 24.The blade 33 on the fork element 32 severs the web material thereon fromthe rest of the web material as it passes blade 30 and the fork elementcarries the severed sheet of web material toward the packing machine.The tines 132 of the forks 32 are provided with suction holes 232 tohold the sheets cut from the web material as they are transported to thepacker.

In operation, upon start-up, the web from reel B1 (The operation will bedescribed in connection with web feed from reel Bl, it being understoodthat the operation is the same in connection with the analogousstructure associated with reel BIA.) is threaded between feed roller 2and the pressure roller 40 associated therewith, and is led along guide4, pad 18 and guide portion 204 and consequently, between guides 26 and28, bring the beginning of the tape in the area of arrow 39.

At this time the pistons of cylinders 15 and 20 are at the rearward endof their travel in their respective cylinders, the segments 124, 224,324 of drum 24 are inoperative, that is are moved radially inwardtowards the shaft of the drum 24 and the feed rollers 2 and 3 arestationary because pistons 9 are at the forward ends of their travel incylinders 10 and the wheels 8 are in the area of the center of frictiondisks 6 and 7.

The continued hand threading of the web along guide 4 causes the web toform a loop in chamber 11 until the loop interrupts the light beambetween the light source 14 and its associated photosensitive element13. At this time, the pressing of an appropriate pushbutton associatedwith cylinder 15 will cause the plunger thereof to push its piston rod16 out of the cylinder whereby pad 18, which is coupled to the rod bymeans of hinged joint 17 will bring the leading end of the web in linewith counterknife 30.

This reduces the height of the loop of web material in chamber 11 andthe light beam from light source 14 can reach the associated photocell13. This actuates a solenoid valve (not shown) which causes the plungerin cylinder 10 to retract, causing wheel 8 to transmit the motion fromdisk 6 to disk 7 which causes the feed roller 2 to rotate, drawing theweb of material from the reel.

Furthermore, when the plunger of cylinder 15 is at its extendedposition, a microswitch (not shown) which controls the radial positionof segments 124, 224, and 324 of the drum 24 is actuated to extend thesegments. This causes drum 24 and pressure roller 25 cooperating with itto feed onto fixed fork 38 a length of web material which is then cut tomeasure by one of the knives 33 of cutter 31, rotating in synehronismwith the drum.

The cut sheet of web material is held by suction on the tines of thecorresponding fork 32. The sheets so held are then transferred insuccession to the packer (not shown, but see US. Pat. No. 3,589,097 forthe infeed of the web material sheet to the packer and its use in thepacking operation). The transfer of the sheet to the packer is obtainedby interrupting the suction through holes 232 in the tines 132 of forks32 when the sheet is adjacent the packer infeed.

When one or more groups of cigarettes to be packed are found to beirregular or defective, such as by a device disclosed in US. Pat. No.3,590,550, an appropriate circuit memorizes a rejection signal so thatone or more segments of drum 24 may be retracted at the appropriate timeso that the forward movement of the web is halted for the appropriateinterval. This precludes the feeding of a length of web material to thecutter at the point in the cycle where the sheet which would be used towrap the defective cigarette group would be severed ,from the web anddelivered to the packer by a fork member 32.

This halting of the web advance by the drum 24 causes a correspondingincrease in height of the tape loop in chamber 11, since the rotation ofweb feeding roller 2 continues undisturbed. As soon as the loop in thechamber reaches such a sufficient height of interrupt the light beamfrom light source 14 to element 13 chamber 11, the solenoid associatedwith cylinder is deactivated, causing the plunger thereof to extend outof the cylinder and move wheel 8 toward the center of disks 6 and 7,slowing the rotation of feed roller 2. This rotation stops when theconditions of irregularity of the groups of cigarettes continue for manypitches.

When a segment of drum 24 engages the web and advances it toward thecutter 31, the height of the loop in the suction chamber is reduced,re-establishing contact between the photocell and its source of lightand thus actuating the solenoid associated with cylinder 10, increasingthe rate of feed from the reel.

When reel B1 on spindle 1 is depleted, the plunger of cylinder 15 ismoved back, thus getting ready for the forward movement of the tape froma new stand-by bobbin which will be fitted to spindle 1.

At this time, the cylinder is actuated so that piston rod 21 of itspiston moves out of the cylinder; by so do ing, pad 23, articulated tobase 22 at the end of stem 21, pushesforward the tape of reel BIA untilthe tape leading end is brought in line with counterknife 30. From thismoment, the tape unwinding and the device operation occur exactly as inthe case of reel Bl.

During the roll replacement operation, the segments of drum 24 arerendered inoperative and drawing roller 2 stops.

Having now fully set forth both structure and operation of preferredembodiments of the concept underlying the present invention, it may bethat various other embodiments as well as certain variations andmodifications of the embodiments herein shown and described will occurto those skilled in the art upon becoming familiar with said underlyingconcept. All such embodiments, variations, and modifications asincorporate the spirit of the invention and depend upon its underlyingconcept are consequently to be considered as within the scope of theclaims appended herebelow, unless the claims by their language expresslystate otherwise.

I claim:

1. In apparatus wherein a reel of web material is unwound, fed in asubstantially linear path by a web feeding means and cut into equalsized sheets by a web cutting means, the improvement comprising:

means for advancing the web material from the web feeding means to theweb cutting means, means for forming a loop in the web material betweenthe web feeding means and said web advanc ing means, the size of saidloop being responsive to the rates of web feed by the web feeding meansand the web advancing means, means for de-activating the web advancingmeans in response to the determination of a predetermined conditiondownstream thereof, said deactivation of the web advancing meansenlarging the loop,

means for sensing when the loop reaches a predetermined size, and

means responsive to the sensing of a loop of predetermined size forcontrolling the rate of the web feeding means. 2. Apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the 5 means for advancing the web material from the webfeeding means to the web cutting means includes:

a drum having a periphery including a plurality of segments, meansmounting the drum at a position whereat the i0 periphery thereof engagesthe web,

means for rotating the drum, and means mounting the segments for inwardradial movement to and from the normal periphery of the drum. l5 3.Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said means for de-activating theweb advancing means includes means for selectively retracting thesegments of the drum.

4. Apparatus according to claim ll, wherein said means for forming aloop in the web includes an open ended housing mounted above the linearpath of the web, the open end of the housing being adjacent said linearpath, and means for creating a subatmospheric pressure in said housingto draw the web therein when there is slack in the web.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the means for sensing whenthe loop reaches a predetermined size includes a photo-sensitive'cellmounted in one wall of said housing and a source of light mounted in theopposite wall of the housing in spaced relationship thereto.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the equal sized sheets arefed to a packing .machine and the predetermined condition downstream ofthe web advancing means is a defect in a unit to be packaged.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the web cutting meansincludes:

a platform comprising a plurality of spaced tines adapted to receive theleading portion of the web 40 from the web advancing drum,

a cutting member comprising a plurality of tines and a blade at the endthereof, and means for moving the tines of the cutting member throughthe spaces between the tines of the platform, the blade thereof severingthe web portion on the platform.

8. Apparatus for advancing a web of material to a cutting mechanism,whereat the web is cut into sheets, which comprises:

a drum having a periphery including a plurality of segments,

means for mounting the drum at a position whereat the periphery thereofengages a web of material to advance the same to the cutting mechanism,

means for mounting the segments of the drum for inward radial movementto and from the normal periphery thereof, and

means for selectively retracting a segment of the drum in response tothe determination that a cut sheet is not required at a predeterminedtime.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the cutting mechanismincludes:

a platform comprising a plurality of spaced tines adapted to receive theleading portion of the web from the web advancing drum,

a cutting member comprising a plurality of tines and a blade at the endthereof, and

means for rotating said shaft, and

means for maintaining the attitude of said cutting member substantiallyparallel to said web receiving platform as it rotates.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein there are a plurality ofcutting members mounted on said shaft and means are provided formaintaining the attitude of each of said cutting members substantiallyparallel to the platform as the shaft rotates.

1. In apparatus wherein a reel of web material is unwound, fed in asubstantially linear path by a web feeding means and cut into equalsized sheets by a web cutting means, the improvement comprising: meansfor advancing the web material from the web feeding means to the webcutting means, means for forming a loop in the web material between theweb feeding means and said web advancing means, the size of said loopbeing responsive to the rates of web feed by the web feeding means andthe web advancing means, means for de-activating the web advancing meansin response to the determination of a predetermined condition downstreamthereof, said de-activation of the web advancing means enlarging theloop, means for sensing when the loop reaches a predetermined size, andmeans responsive to the sensing of a loop of predetermined size forcontrolling the rate of the web feeding means.
 2. Apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the means for advancing the web material from the webfeeding means to the web cutting means includes: a drum having aperiphery including a plurality of segments, means mounting the drum ata position whereat the periphery thereof engages the web, means forrotating the drum, and means mounting the segments for inward radialmovement to and from the normal periphery of the drum.
 3. Apparatusaccording to claim 2, wherein said means for de-activating the webadvancing means includes means for selectively retracting the segmentsof the drum.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means forforming a loop in the web includes an open ended housing mounted abovethe linear path of the web, the open end of the housing being adjacentsaid linear path, and means for creating a subatmospheric pressure insaid housing to draw the web therein when there is slack in the web. 5.Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the means for sensing when theloop reaches a predetermined size includes a photo-sensitive cellmounted in one wall of said housing and a source of light mounted in theopposite wall of the housing in spaced relationship thereto. 6.Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the equal sized sheets are fedto a packing machine and the predetermined condition downstream of theweb advancing means is a defect in a unit to be packaged.
 7. Apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the web cutting means includes: a platformcomprising a plurality of spaced tines adapted to receive the leadingportion of the web from the web advancing drum, a cutting membercomprising a plurality of tines and a blade at the end thereof, andmeans for moving the tines of the cutting member through the spacesbetween the tines of the platform, the blade thereof severing the Webportion on the platform.
 8. Apparatus for advancing a web of material toa cutting mechanism, whereat the web is cut into sheets, whichcomprises: a drum having a periphery including a plurality of segments,means for mounting the drum at a position whereat the periphery thereofengages a web of material to advance the same to the cutting mechanism,means for mounting the segments of the drum for inward radial movementto and from the normal periphery thereof, and means for selectivelyretracting a segment of the drum in response to the determination that acut sheet is not required at a predetermined time.
 9. Apparatusaccording to claim 8, wherein the cutting mechanism includes: a platformcomprising a plurality of spaced tines adapted to receive the leadingportion of the web from the web advancing drum, a cutting membercomprising a plurality of tines and a blade at the end thereof, andmeans for moving the tines of the cutting member through the spacesbetween the tines of the platform, the blade thereof severing the webportion of the platform.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein thecutting member is operable to convey the severed sheet to a positionadjacent the infeed of a packing machine.
 11. Apparatus according toclaim 9, wherein the means for moving the cutting member includes: ashaft, means mounting said cutting member on said shaft, means forrotating said shaft, and means for maintaining the attitude of saidcutting member substantially parallel to said web receiving platform asit rotates.
 12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein there are aplurality of cutting members mounted on said shaft and means areprovided for maintaining the attitude of each of said cutting memberssubstantially parallel to the platform as the shaft rotates.